Smelly Dog with Dandruff

We have an 8 year old chocolate lab/akita cross who is very smelly. This seems to have gotten worse with age (like cheese!). She also has a real dandruff problem, especially in winter. Is there anything I can feed her or apply topically to lessen these woes?

You do not say but I am assuming the odour comes from your dog externally rather than through her breath or due to flatulence. Unpleasant external odour coupled with the dandruff you describe may be due to the need for better nutrition. Most dogs, once on a good, homemade diet display a change in fur texture with less odour and scratching. Most information and recipes can be found in the following books: Richard Pitcairn's, "Natural Health for Dogs and Cats", "The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat" by Juliette de Bairacli Levy and "The Barf Diet" by Ian Billinghurst. Odour and coat texture are usually a sign of how the body is functioning internally. Just treating it externally would not be addressing the cause, only providing symptomatic relief.